Mobile communication devices are important tools for communication as well as transmitting and receiving data and information. Such devices are commonly used to transmit and receive voice and speech data over a distance. Examples of a mobile communication device can include a mobile phone, a smart phone, a pager, and a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). These devices have practically become a necessity in today's world. This statement becomes even more apt when a user of the mobile communication device finds himself or herself in an emergency situation. The emergency situation can be an accident, a fire, a tornado, a hurricane or a terrorist attack. In such a case, the user generally dials E911 for sending an emergency message to get an immediate help. The emergency message can be conveyed by a call, a text message or a voice message, preferably along with a Global Positioning System (GPS) location information of the user in distress. Typically, the rescue agencies send an acknowledgement when the emergency message is received by them. The acknowledgement can be in a form of a message, a signal or a call. The rescue agencies then rush to the user to provide appropriate help.
Conventional mobile communication devices allow the user to transmit the emergency message to the rescue agencies using an air interface. The air interface may be, for example, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) interface, a Push-to-Talk (PTT) interface, a Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) interface or a direct communication interface. However, these conventional mobile communication devices do not allow simultaneous transmission on more than one air interface. This becomes necessary when a user is not able to transmit the emergency message using a particular air interface or when the user wishes to send a concomitant emergency alert to a third-party. In either of these cases, the user should have an option of using other air interfaces for transmitting the emergency message/s.
Further, the transmission of the emergency message is not possible when neither or none of these air interfaces is present, for example, when the mobile communication device is out of a network coverage area. As a result, the user in this situation is rendered helpless.
In light of the above, there is a need for an effective method and system for responding to an emergency situation from a mobile communication device. The system should be capable of transmitting an emergency message even when it is out of network coverage. Also, it should have the capability to transmit the emergency message over a plurality of air interfaces simultaneously and/or sequentially.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated, relative to other elements, to help in improving an understanding of the embodiments of the present invention.